International News
K-CEP REPORT:
OPTIMISATION, MONITORING, AND
MAINTENANCE OF COOLING TECHNOLOGY
T
his Knowledge Brief from the K-CEP outlines the need for
maintaining and servicing of cooling technology.
Kigali Cooling Efficiency Program (K-CEP) estimates that
better optimisation, monitoring, and maintenance of cooling
equipment the potential to save 30Gt of CO 2 emissions by 2050.
THE NEED FOR COOLING EFFICIENCY
Adoption
of certain
practices
could reduce
needless
emissions
due to poor
optimisation,
monitoring,
and
maintenance
practices.
10
SECTOR FOCUS: UNITARY AIR CONDITIONING
Unitary air conditioning (UAC) refers to ductless split, ducted
split and rooftop air conditioners, variable refrigerant flow (VRF)
Cooling is essential to health, prosperity, and the environment,
underpinning many of the Sustainable Development Goals
(SDGs). Yet currently most cooling is energy-intensive and highly
polluting. Demand for cooling is booming, so there is an urgent
need to not only cut pollution from existing cooling but to ensure
future cooling needs are met sustainably.
Use of cooling technologies causes substantial global GHG
emissions of between 3.8, and 4.13GtCO 2 eq (equivalent) per
annum (>7% global emissions). The International Institute of
Refrigeration (IIR) has estimated that cooling consumes 17.2%
of global electricity. Indirect emissions from electricity to
power cooling technologies causes 63% of cooling emissions.
The impact of global GHG emissions from cooling equipment
is projected to grow between now and 2050 as developing
nations gain access to energy and new technologies.
It is estimated that improving the efficiency of cooling
equipment between now and 2050 can avoid the emission of
approximately 80Gt CO 2 eq.
Neglecting the optimisation, monitoring, and maintenance of
cooling equipment results in increased energy use, lower cooling
performance, and shortens equipment life. Effective optimisation,
monitoring, and maintenance of cooling equipment could
deliver substantial electricity savings of up to 20%, particularly if
equipment has not been maintained for a long time, leading to
emissions savings of up to 0.5GtCO 2 eq per annum.
Policy makers should make effective optimisation, monitoring,
and maintenance of cooling equipment a key goal as the 20%
savings in electricity translate into a 13% reduction in total cooling
emissions (including GHG emissions from refrigerants).
RACA Journal I May 2020
www.hvacronline.co.za